Attachment for steam irons



Oct. 8, 1968 J, WILSKER ET AL 3,404,471

ATTACHMENT FOR STEAM IRONS Filed Nov. 29. 1966 s W50 0 n 7 D I mm Ja a United States Patent ATTACHMENT FOR STEAM IRONS Jay M. Wilsker, Englewood Clitr, and Richard J. Sussman,

Englewood, N.J., assignors to Automatic Steam Prod- ;iyr cts Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New ork Filed Nov. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 597,779 6 Claims. (Cl. 38--97) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment for steam ironing devices comprising a flat upper member to which a lower non-sticking pressing surface is attached and whose upper surface accommodates the heating surface of the iron with the upper edge being sufficiently unobstructed to permit the steam not passing through the pressing surface to escape transversely therefrom to avoid burning the hand of the user which is generally positioned above the edge of the interface.

The present invention relates to fabric pressing devices and more particularly to an accessory or attachment for steam irons, steam pressing machines and other devices of this type.

Although the present invention may have a great many applications and is not to be limited to those specifically enumerated herein, the invention has been found to be especially useful when employed as an attachment or shoe for hand irons and particularly steam irons and will be described in an embodiment suitable for this application.

In the past a perforated sheet of polytetratluoroethylene, sold under the trade name of Teflon, has been employed with steam pressing devices to prevent fabrics from being seared by the application of heat thereto from a hot metal or other surface of a high specific heat and thermal conductivity. To adapt the Teflon sheet to such an application it has been generally provided on the undersurface of a perforated metal stiffener sheet which directly contacts the heating surface of the iron.

An upstanding flange or rim member has ben used to which the Teflon sheet and stiffener sheet are attached and which is designed to surround the lower edge of the ironing device so that the composite acts somewhat as a shoe. Means for holding the composite shoe on the ironing device after it is inserted therein are generally provided on the rim member.

As this upstanding rim member extends about the edge of the interface between the shoe stiffener sheet and the heating surface of the iron, any steam not passing through the perforations in the shoe sole, and which then must escape from this edge, will be directed upwardly by the rim member about the upper surface of the iron causing heating or burning of the hand of the user. This, of course, is a very objectionable feature of this type of prior art construction.

In accordance with the present invention this disadvantage of the prior art is overcome by constructing a shoe which eleminates the objectionable rim member. This is preferably accomplished by providing a laminated shoe of three layers, the upper layer of which accommodates the heating surface of the ironing device and has a substantially unobstructed edge.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved attachment for fabric pressing devices and particularly steam irons.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved Teflon-soled shoe for a steam iron. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe for a steam iron having a substantially unobstructed upper surface for accommodating the heating surface of the iron.

ice

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe for a steam iron which shoe permits steam from the heating surface of the iron to escape transversely therefrom.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe for steam irons which shoe is of lightweight laminated construction.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved accessory or shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the shoe shown in FIG. 1 showing the various layers of the shoe separated from each other;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the shoe taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the various layers in their laminated position; and

FIG. 4 is a rear sectional view of the shoe taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the attachment or shoe of the present invention is preferably constructed of three layers comprising a top plate 1 of a lightweight metal, such as aluminum, as intermediate thin perforated metal sheet 2 preferably also of aluminum and the bottom surface sheet 3 of tetrafluoroethylene or 'lleflon. If desired the sheet 3 may be bonded directly to a perforated top plate.

The forward edge of top plate 1 is provided with toe lugs 4 and 4a which may be integral with or welded to or otherwise attached to its tapered forward edge for accommodating the nose of a steam iron (not shown). Lugs 5 or other suitable projections are provided on each side of the plate 1 for attaching an appropriate iron holding means, such as the spring 6 shown in FIG. I mounted on lugs 5.

The steam iron when placed on the top plate 1 will be held against vertical displacement with respect to the plate by the spring or strap means 6 and against transverse and longitudinal displacement by the lugs 5 and to lugs 4 and 40!, respectively. No other means need be provided at the rear of the plate 1 for holding the steam iron against transverse displacement as in normal use the only tendency for such displacement between the iron and the upper plate will bein the forward direction caused by the forward motion of the iron during pressing. However, a rear flange or other suitable stop means may be used, if desired.

The spaced toe lugs 4 and 4a at the front will permit the shoe to receive irons having a variety of sizes. This gives the shoe a versatility which is not present in shoes heretofore in use.

The upper plate 1 has a cut out portion 7 in its forward region which will coincide with the steam emitting region of the heating surface of the usual steam. iron. The intermediate layer or sheet 2 of the shoe is fitted beneath this cut out portion 7 and provided with steam passing perforations 8.

The lower layer of Teflon sheet 3 is also perforated in the region positioned below the cut out portion in the upper plate. The perforations 9 in the Teflon sheet are coincident with the perforations 8 of the intermediate layer 2 when the three layers are in their laminated form. Steam from the heating surface of the ironing device may then pass through the cut out portion 7 and the coincident perforations 8 and 9 to wet and press the fabric beneath the non-stickin g Teflon lower layerS.

It will be readily seen that the configuration and location of this cut out portion may be varied to accommodate steam irons having all-over steam openings in their heating surfaces. The perforations in the shoe sole are then varied accordingly.

The Teflon layer 3 is provided with an upturned flange or projection 10 extending completely about its periphery. This flange is fitted into a mating peripheral groove 11 provided on the underside of the upper plate 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shoe or laminate is thus formed by fitting the Teflon layer 3 over the intermediate sheet 2 and press fitting the peripheral flange 10 into the mating groove 11. The Teflon layer 3 is tightly stretched over the intermediate or spacer layer 2 to prevent wrinkling of its surface during use. A rigid laminated shoe is thus formed which is readily attached firmly to the base of the steam iron.

It will be noted that this laminated construction has an upper edge which is substantially unobstructed and that any steam not passing through the perforated undersurface must escape from the edge of the heating surface of the iron. Such steam will be permitted to flow transversely away from the edge by the absence of any substantial obstruction so as to avoid the upper surface of the iron and the hand of the user.

An improved attachment or shoe for a steam pressing device is therefore provided of a laminated construction which will prevent the steam escaping from the edge of the ironing device from being directed upward toward the hand of the user as in the prior art devices of this type.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. An attachment for a steam ironing device which 4 comprises a substantially rigid upper iron-receivinglayer having a substantially flat upper iron engaging surface for accommodating the heating surface of an ironing device, a lower pressing layer mounted on said iron-receiving layer, said lower layer having a plurality of perforations to allow steam to pass therethrough, said upper surface of said iron-receiving layer having a peripheral marginal area, a substantial portion of. said peripheral marginal area being no higher than the flat iron-receiving upper surface of said upper layer, wherein excess steam from an ironing device will escape transversely of said attachment.

2. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressing layer is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is positioned between said upper and lower layers.

4. An attachment as claimed in claim 3, wherein said upper layer has a cut out portion and said second and third layers have aligned perforations extending therethrough in the area opposite said cut out portion.

5. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said iron-receiving layer has a pair of upstanding spaced front toe lugs.

6. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper layer is provided with means to hold it in a substantially fixed position on said ironing device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,876,565 3/1959 Jacobson 3897 2,877,577 3/1959 Jacobson 38-97 X 2,990,635 7/1961 Rogers 38-97 3,257,746 6/1966 Cohen 38-97 3,318,029 5/1967 Jacobson 3897 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

